Between 2002 and 2012, inpatient charges for hospitalizations related to opioid abuse or dependence almost quadrupled, reaching nearly $15 billion in 2012, according to a study published in May 2016 in Health Affairs. The study found that Medicaid was the most common primary payer for those hospitalizations. Third-party payers are working to mitigate rising costs and poor health outcomes related to the Rx drug abuse and heroin epidemic, while complying with federal and state laws that require access to quality treatment. To guide their efforts, the Third-Party Payer Track will provide timely information and spotlight case studies from successful efforts across health plans, workers’ compensation, Medicare and Medicaid.